Acetylene-gas generator.



9 9 l 4 I u 0 a t n a t a P R E I..- L E K H r." o 2 8 2 6 o N AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Dec. 22, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Medial.)

' WITNESSES ATTORNEY 1m: uunms PETERS m. PHoToumo" wAsruNuTnM n c.

N0. 628,20l. Pater lied luly 4, I899. H. KELLER.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Apphcahon filed Dec 22 1898 (No Mo'dol.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

nvvmron MW 112%,)

' ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES. 65- 4 3 fl.

' Patented July 4, I899. u. KELLER. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

' (Application filed Dec. 22, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

WITNESSES (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN KELLER, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK.

AC ETYLEN E-GALS G E N ERATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,201, dated July 4, 1899. Application filed December 22, 1898. Serial No. 699,975; (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN KELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county ofErie and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Apparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and' useful apparatus for generating acetylene gas in which a carbid-receptacle having a series of pockets provided with hinged bottom doors is supported above the generator, a springrotated shaft being so arranged as to open and close each of said doors successively as it rotates and a device controlling the rotation of the shaft being in turn controlled through a lever by the movement of the movable member ofthe gasometer as it rises and falls in accordance with the volume of the gas therein.

It also relates to certain details of construction, all of which will be fullyand clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred adaptation of my invention is illustrated.

Figure 1 represents a side sectional elevation of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detached side view of the angular operatinglever. Fig. at is an enlarged section on or about line a a, Fig. 1, looking downward.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the outer ring,illustrating the notch or depression into which the rollers attached to the bottom doors drop to open the doors. Fig. 6 represents an enlarged section through the shaft and hub on line a to looking upward, to illustrate the ratchet-and-pawl device employed to prevent the shaft from rotating independently of the hub and case inone direction without interfering with its free independent rotation in the opposite direction. Fig. 7 is an enlarged viewof the swinging door. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detached top plan view of thetrack device, also illustrating a section through the-shaft upon which it is supported. Fig. 9 is an enlarged side edge view of the said track device. Fig. 10 represents an enlarged detail view of one of the bottom doors, also illustrating a portion of the carbid-receptacle to whichit is attached.

In reference to the drawings in detail like. numerals represent like parts.

The generator comprises a lower stationary cylindrical water vessel or holder 1, which is supported upon a stand or holder 2, and an upper carbid holder or receptacle 3, which is preferably supported vertically above the lower member 1. The lower member 1 is preferably cone-shaped at the bottom to form a receptacle from which the carbid residue is removed when desired by means of the cock, faucet, or valve device 6.

A' vertical shaft 7 extends through the cone bottom and is provided at its lower end with an operating-handle 8 and at its upper end within the lower member with a series of arms 9. Upon rotating the shaft by means of the handle the arms are revolved and serve to mix the residue of the carbid collected in the bottom with the water, so that it may be removed by withdrawing the water through the valve device 6.

A vertical shaft 10 extends centrally through the carbid-receptacle, and a cylindrical case 11, divided into a series of pockets 12 by the vertical partitions l3,which radiate from a central hub 14:, is mounted upon said shaft, the shaft passing centrally through the hub. Each of the pockets 12 is provided with a bottom door 15, which'is hinged to rods 16, supported from the lower end of the partitions 13 by the hinges l7, and has an inner and outer roller 18 and 19, mounted upon extensions or arms 20 and 21, which extend, respectively, inwardly and outwardly from the inner and outer ends of the door. A means 'for supporting the doors in aclosed position and also opening them one by one successively is also mounted upon the shaft and rotates in unison therewith. This means comprises the circular portion 22, which forms a circular track upon which the inner rollers 18 are supported and travel,and an outer ring 23, which is supported by the arms 2&, radiating from the circularportion 22, and forms a supporting-track for the outer rollers 19. The portion 22 and the ring 23 are each provided with a notch or depression, (denoted, respectively, by the numerals 25 and 26,) which afford means for opening and closing the doors and which are also arranged radially with reference to each other and the hub, so that when the shaft is rotated to bring the inner notch directly below the inner roller 18 of one of the doors the notch 26 in the outer ring 23 is directly below the outer roller 19, thus allowing the door to open by gravity. A further slight rotation of the shaft forces the rollers from the depressions or notches and returns the door to its former closed position, as will be more clearly explained farther on.

A packing device is placed upon the shaft above the carbid-receptacle to prevent the escape of gas and comprises the vertical extension 27, through which the shaft passes, having its lower end screwed into the top of the carbid-receptacle, a screw-cap 28 upon the upper end of said extension, and a rubber packing-ring 29, interposed between the cap and the top edge of the extension.

A cylindrical shell 30 surrounds the packing device, and the space between said shell and the packing device is adapted to be filled with water, the level of which rises above the screw-cap to provide an additional caution against the escape of gas.

Aratchet-wheel 31, having a series of equidistant studs 32 projecting vertically upward from its face, is rigidly mounted upon the shaft 10 above the packing device. The upper end of the shaft 10 projects through and is supported by the cross-bar 33, which is maintained above the carbid-receptacle by the vertical standards or rods 34. An operating-handle 35 is attached' to the shaft end above the cross-bar 33.

The top of the carbid-receptacle is provided with an opening 36, having an upwardly-projecting flange 37, from which lugs or hooked portions 38 extend. A cover 39 is adapted to be placed over said opening and is forced firmly into place by screw-pressure by means of the curved portion 40, having hooked ends 41, adapted to catch under the hooked portions 38, projecting from the flange, and the screw 42, mounted in said curved portion. \Vater is preferably poured in the flange about the coveras an extra precaution against gas escape.

A Vertical standard 43 extends upward from the top of the carbid-receptacle, and a lever 44 is mounted upon the upper extreme of said standard and-has a forked end, each branch or member of which forms a pawl. One of these pawls (denoted by the numeral 45) is in a slightly-higher plane than the other and is adapted to engage with the studs 32, and the other (denoted by the numeral 46) is adapted to engage with the teeth in the ratchet-wheel. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

The gasometer com prises a lower stationary member or vessel 47 and an upper movable member 48. Guide-rods 49 extend upward from the stationary member, and grooved rollers 50, journaled in brackets 50, extending from the movable member 43, travel upon said guide-rods (see Fig. 1) and serve to prevent side movement and retain the movable member in proper position relative to the stationary member. The movable member is also provided with a vertical pipe 51, which fits over a vertical pipe 52, of lesser circumference, extending from the bottom of the stationary member. The opposite end of the pipe 52 leads out-side of the building or to any other suitable place, thus providing a safety device for relieving the gas-pressure within the gasometer when excessive.

A water-tank 53 is located upon one side of the generating-tank, and a pipe 54 extends from said tank into the generating-tank and is provided with a stop-cock 55. The watertank is so placed that it indicates the level of the water in the generating-tank when the level of the water therein is above the bottom line of the water-tank, and the pipe 54 is bent downward from its connection to the generating-tank and then upward to the wawithin the generating-tank, near the top thereof, and is connected to the water-tank by the pipe 57, which is provided with a valve or shut-off cock 58. The object of this perforated tubular ring is to provide means for cleaning the interior sides of the generatingtank, the opening of the valve or cook 58 allowing the annular tubular ring 50 and the perforations in said ring against the interior of the generating-tank to wash the same.

The gas is conducted from the generatingtank to the gasometer by means of the conducting-pipe 58, having shut-off valves or cocks 59,and from, the gasometer to the burner or point required by the service of pipe 60.

The generation of the gas is controlled from and by the upward and downward movement of the movable member of the gasometer by means of the horizontal rod 61, having two rollers journaled thereon, one of which (denoted by the numeral 61) is adapted to travel upon one of the guide-rods 49, and the other (denoted by the numeral (32) is adapted to travel upon an angular lever 63, which is fulcrumed upon a bracket 64, extending from the carbid-rece'ptacle. This lever is preferably constructed in two sections hinged together in such manner as to allow them to be folded upon each other in one direction only, (see Fig. 3,) and a connecting-rod U5 is pivoted at one end to the upper end of said lever 63 and has its other end bent and pivoted to the end of the forked lever 44.

Means for rotating the shaft 10 in one direction, preferably a spring 66, is provided. The shaft 10 can be rotated independently of the hub 14in one direction only, as a ratchetwheel 66" is rigidly mounted upon the upper surface of the portion 22 and a pawl 07 is held in engagement with the teeth of said ratchet-wheel by aspring 68. The teeth in the ratchet-wheels 31 and 66 and the studs 32, extending from the ratchet-wheel 31, all correspond in number to the number of pockets 12 in the case 11, and the teeth in the ratchet-wheel 66 are so arranged that when the pawl 67 is set firmly against one of said teeth the doors 15 of the pockets 12 are all closed, as the rollers 18 and 19 of the doors nearest to the notches or depressions 25 and 26 rest upon the edges of the same.

. Aspring69 serves to normally maintain the pawls of the forked lever in engagement with the ratchet-wheels.

To shut offcom munication between the carbid-receptacle and the generating-tank, a swinging door 70 is provided, which is supported upon the lower end of a vertical shaft 71, that extends through the top of the generating-chamber. A stuffing-box 72 is also provided to prevent the escape of gas around the shaft, and an operating-handle 73 is fastened to the upper end of said shaft. When this is closed, its outer end swings intoplace between the lug 74 and the interior of the top of the generating-tank, and thus holds it securely in its closed position. A rod 77 is pivotally connected to the operating-handle 78 of the cook 59 and to the operating-handle 73, so that closing the door 70 also closes the cook 59 and prevents the passage of gas. By this means the opening and closing of the cook 59 are controlled by the opening and closing of the swinging door and all danger of an explosion from inadvertent neglect to open the cook 59 when carbid is introduced into the generating-tank is avoided, as the opening of the swinging door must necessarily open the cock 59, owing to the pivoted connecting-rod 77, by which a movement of the handle 73 actuates a corresponding movement of the handle 78.

A cylindrical shell is placed around the stuffing-box and is adapted to be filled'with water. I

The operation of the device is as follows: When the movable member of the gasometer, owing to the small quantity of gas therein, descends to or nearly to its lowest position, the roller moves the angular lever to set through the connecting mechanism to relieve one of the pawls and allow the springto slightly rotate the shaft 10 until stopped by the second pawl, thereby bringing the notches or depressions 25 and 26 in the portion 22 and the ring 23 directly before the rollers of one of thedoors and opening it and allowing the carbid in the pocket .to pass into the genera-ting-chamber. vat's the movable member of the gasometer sufficiently, the second pawl is released and the shaft again turns sufficiently to close the previously-opened door, being stopped in its rotation by the engagement of the first pawl. To load the device with carbid, the cover 39 is removed, thus uncovering the opening 26, and the screw 76, which is employed to lock the case 11 against rotation in the receptacle, is unscrewed.

The shaft 10 is rotated in the reverse direction by turning the handle 35,which brings the pockets in successive order, one by one, beneath the opening 36, through which the When the gas-pressure elecarbid is poured to fill them'as the case 11 rotates in unison with said shaft, owing to the engagement of the pawls 67 with one of the teeth in the ratchet-wheel 66, as heretofore explained. This reverse rotation of the shaft also rewinds the spring 66, and when all the pockets have been filled with carbid and the cover 39 and the screws 76 replaced the apparatus is again ready for automatic operation.

I claim as my invention 1. An apparatus for generating acetylene gas, comprising a gasometer, a generatingtank, a carbid-receptacle mounted above the generating-tank, a vertical shaft rotatably supported in said carbid-receptacle, means controlled by the rising and falling of the gasometer for rotating said shaft, a shell divided into a series of pockets provided with hinged bottom doors havingrollers mounted on said shaft, and a track device rigidlyattached to the shaft upon which the rollers of the doors are supported and travel, said track having means for lowering and raising said rollers and thereby opening and closing the doors, as set forth.

2. An apparatus for generating acetylene gas, comprising a gasometer, a generatingtank, a .carbid-receptacle mounted above the generating-tank, a vertical shaft rotatably supported in said carbid-receptacle, means controlled by the rising and falling of the gasometer for rotating said shaft, a shell divided into a series of pockets provided with hinged bottom doors having rollers mounted on said shaft, and a track'device rigidly attached to the shaft upon which the rollers of the doors are supported and travel, said track having notches into which the rollers drop to open the doors, as set forth.

3. An apparatus for generating acetylene gas, comprising a gasometer, a generatingtank, a carbid-receptacle mounted above the generating-tank, a vertical shaft rotatably supported in said carbid-receptacle, means controlledby the rising and falling of the gasometer for rotating the shaft, a shell supported upon the shaft having a central hub and a series of radiating partitions forming a series of pockets provided with bottom doors hinged at one side to the partitions; said doors each having an inner and outer roller, and a track device rigidly attached to the shaft, and com posed of an inner portion, upon the upper surface of which the inner rollers travel, and an outer ring supported from said inner portion by connecting-arms, upon which the outer rollers travel, said inner portion and outer ring having means for raising and lowering said rollers and thereby opening and closing the doors, as set forth.

4. An apparatus for generating acetylene gas, comprising a gasometer, a generatingtank, a carbid-receptacle mounted above the generating-tank, a Vertical shaft rotatably supported in said carbid-receptacle, means controlled by the rising and falling of the gasomcter for rotating said shaft, a shell sup ported upon the shaft having a central hub 1 and a series of radiating partitions forming a series of pockets provided with bottom doors hinged at one side to the partitions; said doors each having an inner and outer roller, and a track devicerigidly attached to the shaft, and com posed of an inner portion, upon the upper surface of which the inner rollers 5 travel, and an outer ring supported from said inner portion byconnecting-arm s, upon which the outer rollers travel, said inner portion and outer ring having notches or depressions into which the inner and outer rollers of each door drop to open said door, as the notches or depressions are brought beneath said rollers by the rotation of the shaft, and are raised therefrom to close the door upon the further rotation of the shaft, as set forth.

5. An apparatus for generating acetylene gas, comprising a gasometer, a generatingtank, a pipe connecting said generating-tank to the gasometer, a receptacle mounted above the generating-tank and having a series of pockets adapted to contain carbid, a shaft rotatably supported in said receptacle and having means for opening and closing said pockets, one by one successively during its rotation, to drop the carbid into the generatingtank, a ratchet-Wheel rigidly mounted upon said shaft and having a series of studs, a lever having a double-pawl device which alternately engages with the teeth in the ratchet and the studs, an angular operating-lever, a rod pivoted to the double-pawl lever and the angular lever, and a bracket extending from the movable member of the gasometer and supporting a roller in operative contact with the angular lever, as set forth.

6. An apparatus for generating acetylene gas, comprising a gasometer, a generatingtank, a pipe connecting said generating-tank to the gasometer, a receptacle mounted above the generating-tank and having a series of pockets adapted to contain carbid, a shaft rotat-ably supported in said receptacle and having means for opening and closing said pockets, one by one successively, duringits rotation in onedirection, to drop the carbid into thegenerating-tank, a spring for rotating said shaft in its operativedirection, means for preventing the rotation of the shaftindependent of the receptacle in the opposite or reverse direction, and a handle for turning the shaft and receptacle in unisoirin the opposite direction for loading the pockets, and rewinding the operating-spring; as set forth.

7. An apparatus for generating acetylene gas, comprising a gasometer, a generatingtank, a pipe connecting said generating-tank to the gasometer, a receptacle mounted above t 1 t l pockets adapted to contain carbid, a shaft rotatabl y supported in said receptacle and having means for opening and closing said pockets, one by one successively during its rotation in one direction to drop the carbid into the generating-tank, a spring for rotating said shaft in its operating direction, a ratchetwheel supported from the-shaft, a pawl connected to the receptacle and in engagement with the teeth in the ratchet-wheel, for preventing the rotation of the shaft independent of the receptacle in the opposite or reverse 1 direction, and a handle for turning the shaft and receptacle in unison in the opposite diing the operating-spring, as set forth.

HERMANN KELLER. \Vitnesses:

G. A. NEUBAUER, L. M. BILLINGS.

the generating-tank and having a series of.

rection for loading the pockets, and rewind- 

